Court disregarded people’s sentiments, traditions: Bhagwat on Sabarimala verdict

Nagpur/New Delhi: Amid unrest in Kerala over Supreme Court’s order striking down the practice of women between the ages of 10 and 50 not being let in the Sabarimala shrine, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that the apex court failed to take people’s sentiments and long followed traditions into consideration.
“Nowhere in the world has a healthy, peaceful life thrived only on the basis of fear and law,” the RSS chief said in his annual address on Dussehra, the day the saffron organisation was founded.

“The nature and premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and continuously followed for years together were not taken into consideration. The version of heads of religious denominations and faith of crores of devotees has not been taken into account,” he said.

Bhagwat even said the petitioners were not devotees and a large section of women who followed the tradition were not heard. “The legal verdict has given rise to unrest, turmoil and divisiveness in society in place of peace, stability and equality,” he said and asked why only Hindu society experienced such repeated and brazen onslaughts on its symbols of faith. “It obviously raises doubts in the public mind and leads to unrest,” he added.

In an hour-long speech, Bhagwat expressed concern over tension on the national borders and said, “More needs to be done for building confidence and strength of the armed forces and their families who suffer in silence.”

The RSS chief also warned of political forces deliberately fomenting social disharmony for immediate political gains.

Referring to ‘urban’ Naxalism and Maoist violence, he said, “An atmosphere of acerbic hatred, divergence and separatism by fuelling anti-national sentiments was being created by exploiting grievances of people.”

The reference seemed to endorse Maharashtra government’s argument that the activists arrested for their alleged links with the banned CPI (Maoist) were part of a conspiracy to infiltrate and use social unrest to fan disaffection against the Centre and stir armed rebellion.

Referring to the coming elections, Bhagwat also said the RSS would play no role except to ask its workers to see that 100% voting took place. He appealed to the people to vote for sincere candidates committed to national interests. Bhagwat criticised the NOTA provision in voting and said it indirectly accounted for a vote to a candidate who was not desirable at all.